US20060060293A1 - Produce labeling apparatus and method - Google Patents

Produce labeling apparatus and method Download PDF

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Publication number
US20060060293A1
US20060060293A1 US11/227,723 US22772305A US2006060293A1 US 20060060293 A1 US20060060293 A1 US 20060060293A1 US 22772305 A US22772305 A US 22772305A US 2006060293 A1 US2006060293 A1 US 2006060293A1
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
labels
carrier strip
axis
motion
bellows
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
US11/227,723
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Alan Constantine
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Sinclair Systems International LLC
Original Assignee
Sinclair Systems International LLC
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sinclair Systems International LLC filed Critical Sinclair Systems International LLC
Priority to US11/227,723 priority Critical patent/US20060060293A1/en
Publication of US20060060293A1 publication Critical patent/US20060060293A1/en
Assigned to SINCLAIR SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, LLC reassignment SINCLAIR SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, LLC NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: CONSTANTINE, ALAN
Priority to US11/599,792 priority patent/US7712509B2/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
    • B65C9/00—Details of labelling machines or apparatus
    • B65C9/08—Label feeding
    • B65C9/18—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls
    • B65C9/1865—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls the labels adhering on a backing strip
    • B65C9/1876—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls the labels adhering on a backing strip and being transferred by suction means
    • B65C9/188—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls the labels adhering on a backing strip and being transferred by suction means the suction means being a vacuum drum
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
    • B65C11/00—Manually-controlled or manually-operable label dispensers, e.g. modified for the application of labels to articles
    • B65C11/006—Manually-controlled or manually-operable label dispensers, e.g. modified for the application of labels to articles using electrical or electro-mechanical means
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
    • B65C9/00—Details of labelling machines or apparatus
    • B65C9/0006—Removing backing sheets
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
    • B65C9/00—Details of labelling machines or apparatus
    • B65C9/0015—Preparing the labels or articles, e.g. smoothing, removing air bubbles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
    • B65C9/00—Details of labelling machines or apparatus
    • B65C9/08—Label feeding
    • B65C9/18—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls
    • B65C9/1865—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls the labels adhering on a backing strip
    • B65C9/1876—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls the labels adhering on a backing strip and being transferred by suction means
    • B65C9/1884—Label feeding from strips, e.g. from rolls the labels adhering on a backing strip and being transferred by suction means the suction means being a movable vacuum arm or pad
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
    • B65C9/00—Details of labelling machines or apparatus
    • B65C9/26—Devices for applying labels
    • B65C9/28—Air-blast devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
    • B65C9/00—Details of labelling machines or apparatus
    • B65C9/26—Devices for applying labels
    • B65C9/36—Wipers; Pressers
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65C—LABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
    • B65C2210/00—Details of manually controlled or manually operable label dispensers
    • B65C2210/0072—Specific details of different parts
    • B65C2210/0078—Peeling devices
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
    • Y10T156/00—Adhesive bonding and miscellaneous chemical manufacture
    • Y10T156/17—Surface bonding means and/or assemblymeans with work feeding or handling means
    • Y10T156/1702—For plural parts or plural areas of single part
    • Y10T156/1705—Lamina transferred to base from adhered flexible web or sheet type carrier
    • Y10T156/1707—Discrete spaced laminae on adhered carrier
    • Y10T156/171—Means serially presenting discrete base articles or separate portions of a single article

Definitions

  • the present invention relates generally to an automatic produce labeling method and apparatus. More specifically, the invention provides a novel automatic labeling method and apparatus for use with thin, plastic self-adhesive labels carried on a split, two part backing tape (or carrier strip) and which is free of design constraints inherent in prior art devices.
  • the use of adhesive, coded labels on produce has become commonplace.
  • the labels contain “price look up” (PLU) information in human or machine readable form.
  • PLU price look up
  • Such labels are most easily applied to large, firm produce items such as apples.
  • the labels are typically applied to produce by a bellows after having been “stripped” from an elongated carrier strip.
  • Typical prior art labels for use on apples, for example, are relatively thick and stiff and may be stripped by a knife edge.
  • the LaMers prior art apparatus has been successful in applying thin, flexible labels to relatively soft, small produce
  • the LaMers design has inherent limitations overcome by the present invention.
  • the LaMers design requires that the bellows (or other mechanism) which collects the stripped labels must travel in substantially the same direction at a similar speed to the carrier strip and transferring label, i.e., the carrier strip must be oriented to approach a rotary bellows applicator tangentially. This condition is a consequence of the notched stripper (see FIG. 1 , item 24 ) and places constraints on the geometry of the design, including imposition of minimum overall size and space requirements for the apparatus.
  • the LaMers design inherently requires the use of a relatively wide stripping plate, which imposes additional design constraints.
  • the present invention has solved the aforementioned problems.
  • the simplicity of the solution is surprising, given the complexity of the demand.
  • the solution is to simply momentarily bend each label slightly about its axis of motion into a generally V-shaped configuration as it approaches the stripper edge.
  • the solution is analogous to a child bending a flat piece of paper to make a paper airplane.
  • the slight bending of the label (and the bending of paper to make a paper airplane) greatly increases the stiffness of the label along its axis of motion (so, too, with the paper airplane).
  • This solution allows a relatively thin and flexible label to be momentarily bent and to momentarily behave as a much thicker and stiffer label as it is about to be stripped and as it is stripped from its split, two part backing tape or carrier.
  • the label is quickly returned to a planar (or unbent) configuration wherein it is highly flexible. Since the label is behaving momentarily as a much thicker label as it is stripped, an unnotched and narrow stripper with a stripper edge perpendicular to the axis of motion of the labels is usable for the first time with relatively thin flexible labels which in turn eliminates the prior art design constraint that the carrier plate be positioned tangentially to the surface of the rotary bellows applicator! The solution afforded by the present invention also substantially reduces the width of the stripping plate.
  • the present invention allows reduction in size of the labeling apparatus and allows for variations of system configuration. For example, multiple cassettes may now be usable with thin, flexible labels for the first time at a single labeling station in a labeling system using a rotary bellows applicator.
  • the prior art also includes a label dispenser (see the Wright U.S. Pat. No. 4,059,203) having a transversely curved dispense edge for stiffening the dispensed labels as they are stripped.
  • Wright utilizes a single strip backing tape, which requires the use of dual curvature on the stripper edge.
  • the dual curvature includes one curvature about an axis perpendicular to the axis of motion of the labels and a second curvature about an axis parallel to the axis of motion of the labels.
  • the present invention uses a single bend line about the axis of motion of the labels to form a generally V-shaped stripping edge.
  • the V-shaped stripping edge is straight (whereas in Wright it is curved) and perpendicular to the axis of motion of the labels.
  • the present invention uses a split, two part backing tape wherein each of the two parts runs against one of the two sides of the V-shaped guide plate. The tension in each of the parts of the two part backing tape is thereby kept uniform across the width of the tape.
  • Wright uses the complex dual curvatures of the stripper edge to equalize tension across the width of his single carrier strip. Furthermore, Wright does not teach or suggest varying the angle of the label strip and guide plate relative to the surface onto which the stripped label is transferred.
  • a primary object of the invention is to provide an automatic labeling apparatus wherein the orientation of the bellows relative to the guide plate for labels is not limited to the tangential relationship of the LaMers prior art design.
  • a further object is to provide a stripping plate for use in manual or automatic labeling machines, which is significantly narrower than those of the prior art.
  • FIG. 1 is a drawing reproduced from LaMers U.S. Pat. No. 4,217,164 and illustrates the prior art
  • FIG. 2 is a section on the line 2 - 2 of FIG. 1 ;
  • FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the improved guide plate of a labeler incorporating the present invention
  • FIG. 4 shows a front view of the improved guide plate of FIG. 3 ;
  • FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional side view of FIG. 4 taken through the line 5 - 5 ;
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a prior art labeling machine showing the guide plate 22 tangential to the upper surface 8 of bellows 9 ;
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of the present invention showing how the guide plate and the axis of motion of the labels may be oriented at an angle X to the upper surface 8 of bellows 9 .
  • the improvement of this invention is principally concerned with the guide plate of such produce labelers and the orientation of the guide plate relative to the bellows, and therefore the other parts of such produce labelers will not be described in detail in this application.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a portion of a typical prior art labeling system.
  • FIGS. 1 and 2 are reproduced from LaMers U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,217,164; 4,303,461 and 4,648,930, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.
  • FIG. 1 shows a carrier strip 12 carrying planar labels 14 toward a “stripper” 24 .
  • the labels 14 are moving along the direction or axis shown by arrow 99 .
  • the two carrier strip portions 18 and 20 are drawn around stripper edges (or separator edges) 26 and 28 .
  • the planar labels are separated from the dual carrier strips 18 , 20 , as shown by label 14 c .
  • the “notched” stripper 24 formed by edges 26 and 28 , requires that the stripper plate 22 be oriented tangentially to the upper surface 8 of rotary bellows 9 , as shown schematically in FIG. 6 .
  • FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing prior art label 14 as it is approaching the stripper.
  • the direction or axis of motion of label 14 in FIG. 2 is perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 2 and directed upwardly toward the viewer.
  • the label 14 and split, two part carrier strip are planar or flat.
  • FIG. 3 shows a produce labeler portion 201 incorporating a guide plate according to the present invention generally referenced 202 .
  • the guide plate has, at its lower extremity, a stripping edge 206 around which the tape is pulled causing it to be effectively folded back on itself. Stripping edge 206 is unnotched when compared to LaMers. Stripping edge 206 is square to or perpendicular to the axis of motion of the labels, and is essentially a straight edge bent upwardly at its center.
  • the label 204 , 205 continues to move in a forward direction shown by arrows 214 , i.e. the label 205 remains substantially square to the run of the tape 203 and the label's forward motion follows the direction of travel of the tape 203 before having reached the stripping edge 206 .
  • Arrows 214 also indicate the “axis of motion” of labels 204 , 205 .
  • the underneath of the guide plate which is, in this embodiment, the region preceding the stripping edge 206 , has a surface which is bent across the run of the tape (and across the axis of motion of the labels) and, because of the way the tape is strung around the edge, must encounter the underside of the plate as or before the tape reaches the edge.
  • Each of the backing tape halves 208 and 209 runs on sides 202 a and 202 b of guide plate 202 .
  • the bent surface is essentially triangular or V-shaped in cross-section with an apex angle of preferably approximately 160°.
  • the label 205 is forced or bent about its axis of motion into a shallow ‘V’ formation, thus momentarily imparting sufficient stiffness into the label 205 along its axis of motion to cause it to separate from the carrier as the carrier reverses direction at the stripping edge 206 .
  • the top surface of the labels would be the adhesive side of the labels.
  • a fin 207 is provided as a centering guide and separates the backing tape halves 208 and 209 from each other. Fin 207 is located in close proximity to the edge 206 , and is preferably formed as an integral part of the guide plate 202 . The fin 207 centers the split line between strips 208 and 209 , causing each strip to run on opposite sides 202 a and 202 b of the V-shaped guide plate 206 , thereby centering the labels as well. Fin 207 assures that the labels are bent in their middle to maximize the momentary stiffness of each label as it is stripped.
  • a spacer 210 is provided which extends essentially parallel to the top surface of the guide plate and along one of the lateral edges in order to allow the guide plate to be fixed into a produce labeler.
  • a spacer is commonly used in such circumstances to provide operational clearance and may take a number of forms.
  • Such a spacer may also be attached to either side 202 a , 202 b of the guide plate 202 .
  • FIGS. 4 and 5 show the guide plate in profile, FIG. 4 from the front edge showing a bend or an apex angle A of approximately 160°.
  • the apex angle is ideally quite shallow, preferably about 160°, preferably in the range of 150°-170°.
  • the angle A can range from 90°-175°, but angles outside the range of 150°-170° are less preferable.
  • the carrier strip 203 comes in from the right with the labels on the underside of the carrier strip 203 .
  • the carrier strip As the carrier strip is drawn over the guide plate its two halves follow a similar path away from the guide plate 202 .
  • the label 205 continues in the same direction of travel, shown by arrows 214 , and separates from the carrier strip 203 with the adhesive side uppermost as the carrier strip 203 travels around the stripping edge 206 of the guide plate 202 .
  • means such as rotary bellows (known in themselves) are provided to collect the label 205 and attach it to the end product.
  • each label passes stripping edge 206 and separates from carrier strip 203 , the separation from the unnotched, perpendicular stripping edge 206 causes each label to return to a planar or unbent configuration immediately; in that configuration, it is very flexible. It may be transferred to or collected by the upper surface of a rotary bellows applicator oriented radially (as opposed to tangentially) relative to the guide plate 202 .
  • FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration showing how the prior art guide plate 22 and axis of motion of labels such as 14 must be aligned tangentially with respect to the upper surface 8 of bellows 9 .
  • FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of the present invention showing how guide plate 202 and the axis of motion of labels such as 205 forms an angle X with respect to upper surface 8 of bellows 9 .
  • Angle X may range from 0° to 45°.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Labeling Devices (AREA)
  • Adhesives Or Adhesive Processes (AREA)
US11/227,723 2004-09-20 2005-09-14 Produce labeling apparatus and method Abandoned US20060060293A1 (en)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US11/227,723 US20060060293A1 (en) 2004-09-20 2005-09-14 Produce labeling apparatus and method
US11/599,792 US7712509B2 (en) 2005-09-14 2006-11-15 Produce labeler with multiple cassettes at a single station

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US61159804P 2004-09-20 2004-09-20
US11/227,723 US20060060293A1 (en) 2004-09-20 2005-09-14 Produce labeling apparatus and method

Related Child Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/599,792 Continuation-In-Part US7712509B2 (en) 2005-09-14 2006-11-15 Produce labeler with multiple cassettes at a single station

Publications (1)

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US20060060293A1 true US20060060293A1 (en) 2006-03-23

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US11/227,723 Abandoned US20060060293A1 (en) 2004-09-20 2005-09-14 Produce labeling apparatus and method
US11/228,963 Abandoned US20060060294A1 (en) 2004-09-20 2005-09-15 Method and apparatus for manual labeling of produce

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Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/228,963 Abandoned US20060060294A1 (en) 2004-09-20 2005-09-15 Method and apparatus for manual labeling of produce

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US (2) US20060060293A1 (fr)
AR (1) AR053765A1 (fr)
WO (2) WO2006033976A2 (fr)

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20080143094A1 (en) * 2006-12-18 2008-06-19 Fmc Technologies, Inc. Two-sided label, label stock, and associated method of making same
US20120312458A1 (en) * 2009-10-13 2012-12-13 Kevin Andrew Auton Apparatus for labelling
WO2014122347A1 (fr) * 2013-02-05 2014-08-14 Bernat Vilar Vicente José Appareil et procédé pour l'étiquetage de produits
ES2565016A1 (es) * 2014-09-26 2016-03-30 Almassora Centre De Negocis S.L. Procedimiento y mecanismo para etiquetar frutas
US10696440B2 (en) 2016-03-24 2020-06-30 Labelpac Incorporated Labeller and method of using the same

Families Citing this family (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2422815A (en) * 2005-02-08 2006-08-09 Markem Tech Ltd Laminae handling apparatus
JP5271180B2 (ja) * 2009-07-13 2013-08-21 リンテック株式会社 シート供給装置及び供給方法、並びに、シート貼付装置及び貼付方法
GB2478966B (en) * 2010-03-25 2015-05-06 Brady Worldwide Inc A peel and present mechanism for use with apparatus for labelling, and methods for peeling and presenting labels
US8524027B2 (en) 2011-07-27 2013-09-03 Brady Worldwide, Inc. Label dispensing device and method
CN103662231A (zh) * 2012-08-31 2014-03-26 鸿富锦精密工业（深圳）有限公司 剥离机

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2317576A (en) * 1941-05-14 1943-04-27 Avery Ray Stanton Label dispenser
US4059203A (en) * 1975-05-15 1977-11-22 Norprint Limited Dispensing of labels
US4648930A (en) * 1975-10-01 1987-03-10 Mers Herbert Method of separating labels from a carrier strip
US20040089423A1 (en) * 2001-06-19 2004-05-13 Nielsen Peter C. Labelling apparatus and method

Family Cites Families (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US5788284A (en) * 1995-09-08 1998-08-04 Sinclair International Limited Labels

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2317576A (en) * 1941-05-14 1943-04-27 Avery Ray Stanton Label dispenser
US4059203A (en) * 1975-05-15 1977-11-22 Norprint Limited Dispensing of labels
US4648930A (en) * 1975-10-01 1987-03-10 Mers Herbert Method of separating labels from a carrier strip
US20040089423A1 (en) * 2001-06-19 2004-05-13 Nielsen Peter C. Labelling apparatus and method

Cited By (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20080143094A1 (en) * 2006-12-18 2008-06-19 Fmc Technologies, Inc. Two-sided label, label stock, and associated method of making same
US20120312458A1 (en) * 2009-10-13 2012-12-13 Kevin Andrew Auton Apparatus for labelling
WO2014122347A1 (fr) * 2013-02-05 2014-08-14 Bernat Vilar Vicente José Appareil et procédé pour l'étiquetage de produits
ES2565016A1 (es) * 2014-09-26 2016-03-30 Almassora Centre De Negocis S.L. Procedimiento y mecanismo para etiquetar frutas
US10696440B2 (en) 2016-03-24 2020-06-30 Labelpac Incorporated Labeller and method of using the same

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US20060060294A1 (en) 2006-03-23
WO2006034002A3 (fr) 2006-12-07
WO2006034002A2 (fr) 2006-03-30
AR053765A1 (es) 2007-05-23
WO2006033976A2 (fr) 2006-03-30
WO2006033976A3 (fr) 2006-11-09

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AS Assignment

Owner name: SINCLAIR SYSTEMS INTERNATIONAL, LLC, UNITED KINGDO

Free format text: NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT;ASSIGNOR:CONSTANTINE, ALAN;REEL/FRAME:018322/0807

Effective date: 20050826

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION